Just starting a general cleaning/window cleaning company here in Dallas, Texas. And I want to get into new/post construction cleanup as soon as I can.
Other than removing paint, residue, chalking, etc. off the windows, what other services do you guys offer in such a cleanup?
And how do you charge for cleaning the windows, and any other aspect of the cleanup?
Sincerely,
Leonard
Depending on the client, I clean windows and everything else from floor to ceiling --walls, floors and carpets, cabinets, doors, appliances, fixtures, switchplates, etc.
Pricing basis time and hourly goal, influenced by level of debris.
Hey Leo,
Welcome.
Sounds like you dont have much time behind a squeegee.[assuming]
CCU isn’t that much fun. It can be meticulous, time consuming, mind numbing and having to deal with all kinds of crap workers leave on the windows. You better know what your doing. You’ll be dealing with contractors and possibly the homeowners. CCU WAIVERS, WAIVERS, WAIVERS!
Well I’m a meticulous kind of guy. 
Hey…! Funny you should respond to me tonight. I checked out your website a little while ago, and wrote down your name and number in a pad of mine, and I was going to call you in the next day or two, to ask you some questions. (As well as some other companies in different parts of the country) It’s a whole lot easier to talk on the phone, than type in these forums. But I will stick with this way too as needed.
But I digress. Back to my post. I have a feeling I’m asking for a hole in my head with this crap, but I feel it’s something I have to do. And I do have a high tolorance level for dealing with displeasurable situations. The way I figure it, and I could be wrong, there are the major core focus issues I need to learn about, let alone walk through in my mind, and onto to the next set of issues that will, or could arise. And then I pressume I’ll be ready to start in actuality.
So all the ranting you could give, be it in page form, if your so inspired, or just a few sentences or paragraphs at a time would be most appreciated, and taken to heart. From you, and anyone else who wouldn’t mind contributing to this post.
I am seeing jobsites I could be bidding on around town, and I want to start to partake in the fun. :eek: But I need to know how to bid for the various parts of the job. And other information.
So are you saying you could look at a job, and guesstimate how long it should take you? And then you figure on how much you want to make an hour, and bid the job according to that?
If that’s the case, I would have no way to even begin, not having the experience to formulate a personal basis for bidding the job.
I would suppose I could go by other peoples times, and price structure. Especially since I have to be competive to even get the job. And if I’m slower, or don’t figure out all the tricks of the trade to speed things up right away, and I’m not as efficient, then my ultimate price per hour will be lower than yours or the next guys, with more experiene than me. Until I gain the experience from doing it myself after a few times.
Is’nt there a price per square foot for sweeping the floor, and/or vacuuming the carpet? And maybe a seperate way of determining price for the ceiling, walls, cabinets, doors, appliances, fixtures, switchplates, etc.?
And last but not least, windows?
IMO, you are picking the wrong place to enter the window cleaning market,CCU is probably the hardest thing for a novice to do well, All the pitfalls are mentioned elswhere on this site
From an ability standpoint, storefront is probably the easiest place to start followed by residential, then either hi-rise or CCU and HI-rise is easier to learn
+1, I say get a bunch of homes under your belt before attempting any type of CCU. WFP will also make your life a lot easier doing CCU but since you are starting out you probably are not set up for it. Personally I would stick to straight residential cleans before you step up to CCU. It is a different level of window cleaning.
Bingo.
You’ll find most (if not all) your answers here that are window cleaning related if you do a little searching. Im not sure about the other cleaning services you mentioned. I recommend a pen and paper. Write down your questions and search for the answers. The discussion of "pricing is a vague topic on this forum. I guarantee you’ll find great pricing strategies here.
You said it yourself, you don’t have the experience. So there is nothing wrong with pricing at the going rate in your area until you have some time behind your belt.
I dont want to distract you from your goals but seriously, if you have vary little exp. in window cleaning, I think you be vary disappointed in how much extra time you’ll waste not to mention a thin margin of error (fabrication debris) when it would more profitable and better learning exp. for you to start on storefronts and resi.
It’s just my professional opinion. I think most veterans here would agree.
You can easily lose your rear end in a lawsuit if you end up scratching some glass. Read all you can on fab debris and go out and practice on some windows. Start with your own home, and friends and relatives.
Leo, welcome !!! On your post on cu clean up. What you see today on all surfaces can change !!! They slop it every where !! They don’t have to protect it or cover it up !!! Some do and most don’t !! What u bid on 3 weeks ago wasen’t to bad and to day it’s bad !!! The contractor thinks you have a majic wand for all areas !! Windows can be scratched and you can’t see it till you clean it !! Ya ! To protect you you will need a waiver sighed!! Period !! Or no work !! Unless you want to buy windows !!and no your ins will not pay for this !! Take the advice of the posters and this will save you a lot of problems !! Wet scrape all glass surfaces and rince and sq and detail all sides. Double the cost of regular cleaning is some what a guide .!! Hope this helps !! Stan , pro window kleening, 26 years
A local painter here just wiped out nearly $100,000.00 worth of glass due 2 fd. Do yurself a favor learn all you can about yur new found profession. And pray experience will be in yur favor :D:D
Leo the best advice you’ve been given so far is get a waiver in place and get it signed by every customer. You can’t say for sure if fabricating debris is on glass or not so don’t play Russian roulette w/ your business. 
Fabricating debris is present on storefront and residential glass; it’s not exclusive to CCU environments.
Thanks for your advice. And I will be starting with the storefront and residential accounts first. But I also want to learn about the various aspects, and how to bid CCU accounts. And I will certainly be spending some more time reading about the various glass issues posted all over this bulletin board.
Thanks for responding
Hi Leo, total headache but you learn as go along, cost of doing the windows will always be higher than the detail cleaning of the project, you got to look at the amount of windows and accessibility extra if you have to use a ladder or scaffold its the height that you price it on as well as checking out the label on the window tinted windows are the worse to clean as well as dealing with the mess on the frame above the frame and the tracks alot of work goes into cleaning it with minimal damage. when I quote for a job I point out any issues even note it down on the quote in a summary section. Then as for the cleaning side of things you got to look at the multi-tiling in wet areas (floor to ceiling) charge extra for that coz that is alot of time in cleaning and buffing those tiles especially if it has paint splatter and render on it. Here theres 2 stages of cleaning, Preliminary clean, remember at this stage everything on that job is not at completed stage (charge that $per.sqm) ask the builder he will tell you what it is. Once the flooring is completed and windows have the new coverings put in then you have the Final hand-over clean to contend with, buffing, polishing up stainless steel and tap fittings, dusting, vacumming, mop & buffing the floors,basically eveything thing you see has to be cleaned (price that on an Hrly min 4hrs). This is when you forward your invoice sometimes you may be called in to do a display clean which is based like an hand-over clean, and price it the same this is when the house or site is preparing for a showhome display. ANOTHER THING - note down that this quote does not include “excess” meaning if the painters left amount of paint / or glue on the kitchen units then whats considered as passable then you should get paid for the extra amount of time you had to spend to clean it, always point that mess out to the site supervisor first if its agreeable that it is he will ok it, and they will back-charge the “tradies” responsible. Oh and before you even start the project that they have given you to do. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A JOB ORDER# for that project it is a contract between you and the builder without that signed by you and the company they are not liable to make payment. hope it helps…
Man…! That was some reply. Thanks. And yes it does help. But it only makes me more aware how much more I dont know, and will need to, if I’m going to venture into this aspect of things. Do you know of any good books, or manuals, or particular websites (other than just googling post construction cleanup)?
~Leonard~
Premier Cleaning of Dallas
You mean you haven’t already researched cleaning on the interweb?!?
Try Don Aslett
This was my first construction cleanup book:
Thanks Larry! Have you read any of the other books by him?
Do you own an Asslet toilet mug? 
